Eating Raw (freshwater) Fish can give you Liver Cancer

[n2doc]

Eric Bland, Discovery News


Oct. 12, 2009 -- Uncooked fish can cause human liver cancer, but most sushi lovers need not worry since the condition comes only from eating certain freshwater fish.

The human liver fluke, a freshwater parasite endemic to areas of Thailand, Japan, and Siberia, triggers human liver cancer by creating harmful cell mutations, encouraging tumor growth, and stopping normal cell death, according to a study released yesterday in the journal PLoS Pathogens.

The research could help prevent millions of people from developing liver cancer.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer "has classified Opisthorchis viverrini as a Class One carcinogen," said Sutas Suttiprapa, a scientist at George Washington University and a co-author of the PLoS Pathogens papers.
"I think that over the next year or next few years there will be a big campaign to treat and give these people some knowledge to stop eating raw fish."

more:

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/10/12/fish-parasite-cancer.html

[NaturalHigh]

1. I hereby pledge never to eat raw fish of any kind.

Just the thought gives me the willies. I'll stick with steak, medium-well.

[imdjh]

4. Let's face it, it's all about the condiments anyway. Veg sushi and smoked eel is just fine with me.

[frazzled]

6. Unagi is freshwater eel ...

So I assume it would be on the problem list.
I was in our local fish wholesaler's last year when a man came in asking for eel. "I won't carry the stuff!" the owner replied, explaining that it had the highest mercury content of anything. Freshwater eel, too? I asked, like in a Japanese restaurant? "I wouldn't eat it, he replied." This is a huge fish market that carries absolutely everything imaginable. I'm sure it won't hurt me to eat the unagi the 3 times a year I have Japanese food ... but I'm not so sure about a steady diet of it.

[timeforpeace]

13. Unagi is cooked.

[bluestateguy]

2. Oh here we go

IS ANY food 100% good for you? Is there any food that will not be attacked by the food police?

[n2doc]

3. I hope this is sarcasm

You are certainly welcome to eat cooked fish. Raw fish, like raw pork, should be avoided. Unless you want some uninvited guests in your body.

[TommyO]

5. I've been eating sushi for 25 years with no ill effects

Your worry wartism is unwarranted.

[kestrel91316]

8. No sushi bar in the US serves raw freshwater fish. If you believe I am incorrect,

I submit that you should prove it, preferably with links.

The freshwater eel served at US sushi bars is always cooked.

[TommyO]

11. You are correct, and I never claimed otherwise

I was responding to a poster who posted against all raw fish, not just certain freshwater fish as the original article (which (s)he posted) does.

[Dorian Gray]

12. Eh

I eat sushi two to three times a week. Raw.


Never had any problems.

[kestrel91316]

7. Science-based medical facts from public health experts do not

in any way equate to "food police".

It is a FACT that eating raw freshwater fish infected with this fluke can cause liver cancer. There is no speculation.

[Crunchy Frog]

14. Hey, if you want liver flukes, go to town. Nobody's interested in stopping you.

I do think people have the right to be informed of the possible consequences of eating something but maybe you don't. :shrug:

[mopinko]

9. flukes are amazing

don't want one in my liver, but the life cycles of some flukes are the stuff of science fiction.

[HughMoran]

10. Wow, that's shocking

...glad it doesn't apply to typical saltwater based sushi.